Galette des Rois

“Vive la France!” I yelled at my husband. He had just taken his first bite of my homemade, traditional French king cake, and I could tell the pastry flakes, almond cream, and confectioners’ sugar had tied to win the race to his tongue.

I can’t help but puff up when my kitchen warms with butter, melting, and my mitted hands ease into the oven to claim my galette des rois—the burnished ridges of puff pastry speaking to several hours of folding and rolling dough. I’m comforted by the weight of tradition then. Kings may be a thing of the past there, but long live France and these golden cakes!

Suggested Pairing: Sweet Lucy's Bourbon Cream Liqueur, available at Calandro's Supermarket.

*Find a recipe for homemade puff pastry here. 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Combine almond paste, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor and purée until smooth. Add in one egg, vanilla and almond extracts, and flour, then pulse to combine.

2. Use an eleven-inch pie plate to cut circles out of each sheet of puff pastry. Place one circle on a buttered baking sheet and refrigerate until ready. 

3. Beat remaining egg and brush lightly over the pastry circle. Use a paring knife to score the pastry decoratively, making two cuts all the way through to create vents in the pastry.

4. Retrieve baking sheet from the fridge. Mound the almond cream in the center of the pastry, then use remaining egg wash to brush a one-inch border around the edge of the dough. Bury the dried bean in the almond cream. Then place scored pastry circle on top and crimp the circles’ edges together to seal.

5. Bake for 13–14 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, until puffed up and golden. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and then place on the top rack of the oven and bake for another 12–13 minutes until the edges turn dark brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve warm. (Warms up easily the next day too!)